Nothin' Says Lovin' Like _____

I was scrolling through Facebook when a link posted by Southern Living Magazine caught my eye. The picture of a vintage recipe box tripped my memory button and brought to mind another such box—a bright yellow one with an apple painted on it. It had belonged to my mother-in-law. I guess the picture and recipe box put me in a vintage mood because as I searched through my own pantry for the little wooden box, I caught myself singing, “Nothin’ says lovin’ like something from the oven…”

I smiled because it’s a catchy little jingle. The person who came up with a tune and words that would stick in anyone’s mind for over fifty years is an advertising genius. Also, I smiled because it provided the inspiration I needed for a Valentine’s Day post. 

Pillsbury first aired this ad campaign in the 1950s. At that time it was assumed every young woman wanted to snag herself a man and the fastest route to capturing his heart was through his stomach. Once she accomplished that feat, she could continue to show her devotion—and show off her domestic skills at the same time—by baking  “a very special cake.” 

Of course, this kind of thinking has undergone some alterations through the years. First came the realization that while baking might have pleased your fella, it didn’t necessarily guarantee him a long and healthy life. In the seventies I worked with Dale, a lady from Mississippi. She’d been raised in the time-honored tradition of sending the man of the house off to work with a hearty meal under his belt. For years she’d risen early and fried bacon and eggs for her hubby and made him biscuits. Not ones from a (Pillsbury) can, mind you, but light and flaky, made-from-scratch biscuits. Dale had taken great pride in lovingly performing this duty every morning until … her husband developed an ulcer and heart problems. Crestfallen, she’d listened as the doctor explained to her the ill effects of too much fat and cholesterol in the diet. Adding insult to injury, the doctor had added, “Lady, you’re killing your husband.” After that, Dale lovingly sent her man off to work with a bowl of corn flakes under his belt. But somehow it just wasn’t the same.

Another change in thinking came when women’s goals became redirected. Those old Pillsbury ads were targeted at women, but today many ladies are more interested in landing a fulfilling career than a spouse. And in many marriages, the husband might be found in the kitchen as often as or maybe even more than the wife. That’s a good—no,  a GREAT  change! No rule says only women can experience the joy of preparing something good to eat for her loved ones.

But while traditions or ideas might undergo alterations over the years, some things never change. And one of those is the desire to be loved and have that love expressed either in words or actions. On the off-chance “something from the oven” doesn’t make your heart go all a-twitter, I want to know what does. What says or demonstrates “lovin’” to you? Whether in a friend, family, spiritual, or romantic relationship, what’s your favorite way to be told or shown “I love you”?  Please share either in the comments below or on Facebook. And from my heart to yours ...

Happy Valentine’s Day!!!

Moonlight and Meatloaf

In the Author’s Note in Some Form of Grace, I promised readers some down-home recipes from Flo’s restaurant. Today I decided to go with Flo’s Famous Meatloaf because when Flo features this as her blue plate special, the line is out the door. (Get recipe here.)

To get the ball rolling on this post, I googled “quotes about meatloaf” (not to be confused with “quotes by Meat Loaf”), hoping to find something really clever or funny as a good lead-in. Fortunately, I found quite a few quotes. Unfortunately, I also found that in the food world, meatloaf is maligned only slightly less than Spam. Of those quotes, 99% of were not the sort that would entice you to click on a meatloaf recipe. For example: “Meatloaf. I don’t like it. It’s like a bunch of hamburgers that got caught in a car accident” (Norman’s Corner, 1987). Or this: “Meatloaf. Smeatloaf. Double beatloaf. I hate meatloaf” (Randy-A Christmas Story, 1983).  

But I was diligent in my search and eventually came across this: “If you make this meatloaf for the boy you’re hung up on, you’ll own him” (Bijou Hunter, Damaged and the Bulldog.)

Ding! Ding! Ding! I’d hit the Daily Double. A quote for meatloaf AND Valentine’s Day  all in one. I could multi-task! In the blogosphere, it doesn’t get much better. 

For all the verbal abuse it takes, meatloaf—if done right—can be delicious. And, believe me, Flo does hers right. As proof, I made her recipe for dinner while recently visiting family. My niece said her husband didn’t eat meatloaf, so she’d bring some fried chicken. Not that I was watching, but that evening I noticed he not only ate meatloaf but went back for seconds. 

So ladies, if you want to please your sweetie this Valentine’s Day, whip up this recipe for a romantic dinner. Chill the wine, dim the lights, and, as the quote says, “…you’ll own him.” 

Give this recipe a try and let me know how it works for you, but please keep your comments G-rated.

PS Gentlemen, this goes for you, too. What lady wouldn’t appreciate a meal thoughtfully prepared by your own hands? And if you throw in kitchen cleanup, she’ll be positively swooning.

PPS Wine with meatloaf? Why not? Go here and enter meatloaf in the search bar.

WOW--Woo

            “Wooing is a part of love. I love to woo. I love to be wooed. I like to say the word, ‘Woo’!” – Miss Piggy, WSJ Magazine, February, 2014.

            When I read the above quote from that guru of woo, Miss Piggy, I took a cue from a nearby middle school, which always posts a WOW--Word of the Week--on its marquis. In celebration of Valentine's Day, my WOW is woo.

            A search on Dictionary.com clarified the definition for me. The lead definition says woo is a verb (used with an object), meaning “to seek the favor, affection, or love of, especially with a view toward marriage.” The second meaning: “to seek after zealously or hopefully.”

            Most of us would agree wooing is a good, desirable thing. Agreeing on the best way to woo is another matter. Although, I have the utmost respect for Miss Piggy, I take some issue with her wooing technique. Further along in the WSJ article, she claims, “I once went all the way to the Great Swamp in New Jersey to track down Kermit...My tricks for seduction are easy; I simply hold Kermie tenderly in my arms—and don’t let go.” A fine line exists between wooing and stalking or clinging. I fear it might have been crossed here.

When it comes to
Valentine's Day wooing,
 I'm a traditionalist.
 

            The way to woo is tricky because it is so individualized. For example, on the off-chance my husband asks you, please inform him I DO NOT want a Big Hunka Love teddy bear for Valentine's. Ditto for Hoodie-Footie pajamas. I have no space to store a four-foot tall teddy bear, and I can come up with a zillion better ways to spend a hundred bucks. Every time I see an ad for those pj’s, I picture myself ripping them off while in the throes of a hot flash. When it comes to Valentine's Day wooing, I’m a traditionalist. A nice meal, flowers, a sweet card...an expensive piece of jewelry. Give me any—or all—of these, and I’m happy. But that’s just me. Perhaps, for you, “nothing says loving” like being encased like a sausage in pink polyester.

The guru of woo, Miss Piggy, with the object
of her never-ending pursuit.

            While the way to woo is fuzzy, the when is a no-brainer: always. In the aforementioned definitions, I prefer the second one because it puts no limit, no end-all goal on wooing. I question some of Miss Piggy’s techniques, but truly, I have to admire a female who has pursued the same love interest for over thirty years. Would her seeking have remained as zealous if she and Kermit had married? Can’t say for sure, but knowing Miss Piggy’s zeal for other areas of her life, I’m going with the affirmative. (And btw, Kermit, you’re a fool for never having popped the question!)

            When I listed my wooing favs above, I was joking about the expensive piece of jewelry ...sort of. I really don’t think wooing has to be expensive, although occasionally it’s nice to splurge if you can afford it. I consider my friend, Family Law attorney Shel Harrington, to be another guru of woo. Visit her blog for a beautiful Valentine's day idea. And for some other inexpensive but meaningful ways to pursue your beloved, visit her blog here.      

            Let me hear from you. What’s your favorite way to woo or be wooed? (Please keep it PG.)

 

photo credit: <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/expressmonorail/6396470729/">Express Monorail</a> via <a href="http://photopin.com">photopin</a> <a href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/2.0/">cc</a>